1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component having an integrated protective device which responds in the event of a thermal overload and interrupts a current flow through the component.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic components of this type are known from the related art. The component is always designed in such a way that it may be operated within a certain temperature range without becoming damaged. The component may heat up due to an electric current which flows through the component or due to another external effect. If the component heats to a temperature above a certain temperature value it may become damaged. This state is referred to as thermal overload. In the event of a thermal overload of this type, a protective device of the component should interrupt the current flow through the component. For example, published German patent application document DE 197 52 781 A1 describes a circuit arrangement for protecting an electrical part in which a protective device is provided. The component which has the protective device includes two external electrical contact points via which the component is electrically connectable to the outside. In a first state, the component is formed in such a way that the two contact points are each electrically connectable in such a way that the current is able to flow through the component. As a result of an inner or outer heat effect, the component housing undergoes mechanical deformation due to a multilayer structure having different coefficients of thermal expansion and assumes a second state in which at least one contact point is not electrically connectable so that no current is able to flow through the component. The protective device operates directly on the basis of the heat effect.